Poll suggests most in province in favour of Muskrat Falls, group says

A new poll released today by a pro-Muskrat Falls project group seems to indicate that a majority of Newfoundlanders and Labradorians are in favour of building the $7.4-billion hydroelectric dam.

The poll asked, “As you may or may not be aware, the decision of whether or not to develop the Muskrat Falls Hydro-Electric project is drawing near. All things considered, do you (list of response options) the development of Muskrat Falls to meet the future power needs of Newfoundland and Labrador?”

The results were that 66 per cent of those surveyed support the development of Muskrat Falls to one degree or another, while 19 per cent did not have an opinion and 15 per cent opposed the development.

The poll was commissioned by I Believe in the Power of NL and conducted by pollsters Corporate Research Associates Inc. (CRA).

According to CRA, it used a random probability sampling, with a sample size of 400 people, with an accuracy rating of within plus or minus 4.9 per cent in 19 out of 20 samples.

I would be absolutely accept and respect fully the informed will of the people, no matter what the result of a clear and fairly worded referendum. PERIOD. That is democracy (not the democratic dictatorship that government is now imposing on its own people).

Maurice, After you lose the referendum, then what. Maybe we'll have personal interviews with every single person in the province trying to convince them to come over to your point of view. Those against Muskrat Falls asked for more information. They got it and weren't satisfied . They asked for a poll and got it, they're still not satisfied. I'm sorry if you don't want to hear this, but the majority of people in this province want this done and finished. You sound like you're going through some kind of grief process and can't get out of the denial stage. Surely, you can't hate Danny Williams that much.

If this Millionaires for Muskrat poll is accurate, then government will have no problem putting this fiasco to a referendum --- confident in its position.------- I'm waiting to see whose best interest it is that our democratic dictatorship has at heart ---- Danny and the dinosaurs (with their 20th century thinking/megaproject) or the people, the ratepayers, the taxpayers, and lastly (but least) --- the voters. This project will in the end show who it is that this government has been looking out for. ----- Wait til the cost hits closer to $20 billion and oil hits $50 a barrel.

These comments about the validity of the poll are bordering on ridiculous. A well known company is not going to risk its reputationto corrupt a poll. Yes, most people are for this development. Anybody who thinks otherwise has to be delusional. I just wish government would hurry up and sanction it, and get this over with. I'm getting tired of seeing that false outrage on Lorraine Michael's face

The poll question contained within it the statement that the island needs the power --- the exact first question that both the review panel and the PUB concluded had not been demonstrated. It leads respondents to answer the question largely one way.

About a month ago you spent the whole week "pushing" a poll on your blog. Now, here you are, criticizing this poll while oblivious to the complete mess of a poll you conducted.

Mary

November 20, 2012 - 06:43

I cannot understand and never will how they can say these polls are accurate. I have not been contacted by anyone to answer questions about Muskrat Falls and neither has ANY of my friends and family(I know a lot of people). I am willing to bet most people have not been contacted, how can they say MOST of the province are in favor? I just don't get it...it's comical to be honest.

Isn't it ironic that a new poll suggesting 66% are in favor of the project gets released just as the House opens with Muskrat being the primary topic... Polls are a case of the Tail wagging the Dog... With a margin for error of plus or minus 4.9 percent (which effectively is a ten point spread) there remains a lot of room for doubt, inaccuracy and inconsistency in numbers... Take that same ten percent margin of error and apply it against the proposed Muskrat costs and you will be looking at quite a substantial figure (Over run ??? Ha !!) A referendum is the only way the people can be truly heard and politicians should keep in mind that they are supposed to be acting in the best interests of the people of the province and delivering the will of the people for the people.

Little better than a "push poll" where respondents are led, by the wording of the question, to a certain conclusion. Even government says that the first question is "do we need the power?", yet this poll question contains within it the statement that the province needs power, even though two independent reviews concluded that that had not been demonstrated. Having the question say that the province needs power tends to lead respondents, unknowingly, to the desired answer.